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Limited Time..Choosing betwn Barcelona and Sevilla

My boyfriend and I are going to visit a friend in Malaga, Spain in July and we'd like to visit 1, maybe 2 others cities in Spain while we're there.

Almost all the top destinations lists I've read say that Barcelona is the place to go, but looking at a map Seville is much closer and is also supposed to be a great city.

Does anyone have advice on this? Part of me thinks I can't miss Barcelona, but another part says that Barcelona might be hectic and very expensive in July / peak travel season and Seville might be a better choice. Would love to hear from people who've been to one of both of these cities.

They are both wonderful cities and each embodies a different aspect of Spanish culture and history. I love to walk Sevilla and see what the next turn brings. It has a charm that is its own.

Barcelona is an international city with a great joie de vivre. The best art is not in the museums but in the streets in the form of moderisme, Catalan for moderism. A cultural movement that defines Barcelona and shaped by Antoni Gaudí.

Thank you all for the response! The nearness of Seville to Malaga is definitely appealing, and it looks slightly less expensive than Barcelona too. Most importantly its nice to know that the city has as much to offer as Barcelona does.

If anyone needs an itinerary for Florence or Eastern Australia I'm happy to share ideas - I feel like I owe you all. Thanks again!

Sevilla is the queen of the cities in the South and full of Roman, Moorish, Jewish, Gitano and Christian history and culture. Flamenco, bulls, etc. etc. but also art, archtitecture and a vibrant, diverse and modern city that it's easy to fall in love with. http://www.andalucia.com/cities/sevilla.htm

Seville and Cadiz without a doubt. Seville will be stifling hot, but it is gorgeous and you won't regret visiting. Definitely visit Azahar's page above-- Shawn also offers tapas tours that are very well reviewed. From Seville, you can easily catch a bus or a train to the gorgeous small city of Cadiz, less than 2 hours away. Spend the night or even just take a day trip. At least there you can cool off on the beach! Cadiz also has some amazing beaches outside of the city, such as El Palmar and Playa Bolonia. If you are renting a car these are great stops. Lastly, a day trip to consider from Malaga that is actually on the way to Granada (another option and one of my favorite cities in Spain) is Nerja. Its a beautiful small town with pretty beaches between coves and a large cave that is really impressive. I love Barcelona, but stay in the south!